Another "should I stay or go" thread

Devrij · 23 May 2016 at 11:02

Background: currently working in newspapers selling ads, with a great team and manager, but there is virtually no progression on the horizon and declining revenues mean that there is a chance of redundancy somewhere in the next 5 years. Pay is alright and I get 30 days booklist plus bank holiday so that's handy. 45 minute drive each way. I'm good at it, and it's a job I can leave at the door each day.

New opportunity is selling ads in radio which would pay significantly better and allow me to spend more time at home prospecting leads as it's a field sales role. So I would get to see my new daughter more, and company car frees up or car for the other half when she goes back to work. My only gripe is I'm not particularly keen on spending all day hunting for leads and dealing with the pressure of targets when it's 100% new business I have to search for. In short, it's a confidence issue.

So, better the devil I know and keep looking for something that's more interesting or do I take a risk (assuming I get through 2nd stage next week)?

Basher · 23 May 2016 at 11:32

Do you have somewhere at home where you can lock yourself away? I do a lot of home working (in sales, too), and I find it almost impossible to focus when there is a wife/small child nearby.

GinG · 23 May 2016 at 14:30

Working from home and hate it. Really struggle to motivate myself and I really miss the 'banter' and contact with colleagues within an office. I would class myself as a really self motivated person, but the lack of some contact with a colleague (i.e. not phone or email) does wear you down thin. Last time I physically met some of the guys was over 6 months ago!

Much of my work is done via emails, the odd phone call and visiting customers a few times a month. I do have contacts from my last job which makes things much easier, however I am dreading the point when I use up all these and have to go with the cold calling.

It does have major advantages, however even though I do have an 'office' where I can shut the door it still doesn't help.

My advice...for a short term plan go for it, my work/life balance is fantastic. Work 9-4/5ish every day as when you are motivated you do get most of your work done in a similar 8-5 role as you don't have any major distractions of other workmates.

I do find it hard where my main point of contact is the MD, so bitching and moaning to get things off my chest is impossible and as my wife is a nurse she doesn't really understand my moans even though she is happy to listen bless her.

I have some long term plans, so for now I am using the time to pay off any debts (I have a company car so could sell old car and pay off a loan), using commission to get things done in the house/help with savings and then hopefully in the next 12 - 24 months I will be looking to retrain.

I am 30 at present and I am sick of the sales game now, money is good but can't be chewed with moaning customers any more! I kind of accidently fell into a sales roll around 10 years ago, even though I am good at what I do (always trying to be headhunted) if I could motivate myself even further I really do think I would be doubling my wage in commission alone but the work/life balance is great.

OspreyO · 23 May 2016 at 14:49

I worked from home on one contract, 3 days at home 2 in the office. That was a nice balance.

GinG · 23 May 2016 at 16:40

OspreyO said:
I worked from home on one contract, 3 days at home 2 in the office. That was a nice balance.

I could see that being a great balance to be honest, the flexibility of home working with the benefit of still seeing and chatting to colleagues on a weekly basis.

Devrij · 23 May 2016 at 18:37

That's helpful stuff chaps. Frankly I think I would be okay with not seeing my work crew. I like the banter, but I like my solo time too. I do have a study where I could work so in theory distractions aren't an issue (unless you count lunch break gaming).

I just turned 30 myself and know how you feel GinG. Nobody sets out to become a salesman but it's the easiest way to make cash bar reskilling entirely.

Dreading trying to sell expensive radio ads in Huddersfield though. Tighter than a duck's arse they are round here and not many businesses that could afford it! Anyway, I may not even get it. We'll see next Friday.

wesimmo · 23 May 2016 at 20:35

I'd echo the balance between home and office work sentiments.

I struggled to work from home in Newcastle with bi-weekly (at most) 2 day trips to our London office for nearly 4 years.

It was great in one respect as from the moment my daughter was born I was there most of the time until she started nursery school.

But im not the most disciplined, so I played an awful lot of Football Manager....

I also missed the office banter a lot.

Luckily they made our entire department redundant with a nice fat pay off and I found an office based job up here very quickly, I imagine if I'd have continued the way I was going I'd have been sacked sooner or later when they realised how little I did.

I only got away with it for so long as I was the only person in the department who could do what I do so when they asked me to build a database or some self serve analytical tool, I'd do the "mechanic's teeth suck" and quote 3 weeks of work, knock it up in a few days and kick back until the deadline.